DaInFaMMuS1

H/F series DOHC Swap for your 2.x CL

So you’re tired of your slow SOHC F2.x engine in your CL and want to put a little more pep in its step? A DOHC swap might be just what you need! A Dual Over Head Cam engine would provide 50 more horsepower and 10 to 40 more torque in its stock platform, depending on the engine.

Platforms:

The 2.2 or 2.3 CL is the only 1st gen CL eligible for the drop in 4 cylinder DOHC swap. A 3.0 CL would require you to change your subframe to the 2.x subframe and change engine mounting points in the engine bay to accommodate a 4 cylinder engine. It is doable, but it would be smarter to do a 3.5 swap in a 3.0 CL.

Engines:

The H22 , H23a , F20b, and K20/K24 are all engines that will fit in the 2.x CL engine bay. The K20/24 in a CL hasn’t been documented yet, but has been done in a prelude and cd5 accord, which are both very similar to the CL so it is possible. Most people prefer the H series engines due to the increased torque, as the CL is a heavy platform and more torque helps performance and the H motor is the easiest drop in swap.

- H22: 200 hp/161 tq
- H22 type S/Euro R: 217 hp/ 161tq
- H23a: 200 hp/ 163 tq
- F20b: 197hp/ 145tq
- K20a2: 200hp/ 142 tq
- K20z1: 210hp/143tq
- K24a2: 200hp / 171tq

Before you put your engine in the car, there are some items you should replace since it will be easier while the engine is out. These include:

- Front and Rear main seal
- Clutch and Flywheel
- Timing belt
- Balance shaft belt/retainer or install Balance shaft eliminator kit by kaizanspeed
- Water pump
- Fuel Filter
- Oil Pump

Another note on the tensioner, most people convert from the auto tensioner to the manual tensioner due to the fact that the auto tensioner is know to fail. As mentioned above, you can go with Kaizenspeed for a tensioner setup or switch to the H23 manual tensioner and save yourself the headache in the future, they aren't fun to replace! Also if you go with the Kaizenspeed balance shaft eliminator you'll have to remove the oil pump anway, so might as well knock out 2 birds with 1 stone!

Some maintenance items that are also recommended, but can hold off if you're on a tight budget:

- Header w/exhaust manifold gasket
- Valve cover gasket
- Spark plug tube seals
- Replace stock cam seals with metal cam seals
- Spark plugs and wires
- Distributor Rotor and cap

UDSM or JDM oil pump?
SOME swaps may require you to swap over the oil pump from JDM to USDM, depending on whether or not your car is set up to use the crank position sensor on the oil pump. I previously did not and my shop managed to use the JDM oil pump somehow, but for those who need to do so, here's a DIY I found for replacing the oil pump

http://www.extremeprelude.com/oilpump.html

Fuel Setup

If you're swapping in a JDM engine, the fuel rail may not be oriented to the correct side, making it impossible to hook up to fuel fitting to the fuel rail. You can use your F2x fuel rail with the H22 injectors to remedy this issue, or buy an aftermarket fuel rail and fuel pressure regulator from a company like AEM, Golden Eagle, or Blox amongst others. Either setup will work. Also, be prepared to shell out cash for gas, as these engines do not like anything lower than 91 octane to run properly, especially when tuned.


Transmissions:

If you are going for a budget build and do not want to buy a transmission, you can keep your stock 2.x CL transmission as they will bolt up to the H and F engines. K series swap would require a 2003 and up 5 speed accord transmission or 2001 to 2008 6 speed rsx/tsx transmission. Be advised that if the stock CL transmission is used, performance will suffer as the gearing of the stock transmission will not properly optimize the power of the DOHC engine you just put in. Here are some better options for H and F engine compatibility, some with limited slip differentials and some without. The non LSD transmissions will generally be cheaper and more plentiful. If you can find a good deal on an LSD transmission then jump on it, due to better power distribution to the wheels and better gear ratios.

Non-LSD trans
M2A4 5 speed (92-96 JDM Prelude)
M2F4/M2F5 5 speed (92-96 USDM/EUDM Prelude)
M2P4 5 speed (99-01 EUDM Prelude)
M2S4 5 speed (92-96 USDM Prelude/96-00 JDM Prelude)
M2V5 5 speed (97-01 EUDM/AUDM Prelude)
M2Y4 5 speed (97-01 USDM Prelude)

Factory LSD Trans
M2B4 5 speed (92-95 JDM Prelude)
M2T4 5 speed (96-00 JDM Prelude)
M2Z4 5 speed (96-00 JDM Prelude)
T2T4 5 speed (98-01 JDM Accord SIR-T)
T2W4 5 speed (98-01 JDM Accord Euro R)

DO NOT USE Prelude ATTS transmissions! They will not work with your swap as they have electronic traction control parameters in them that will give you issues.

The stock F2x 5 speed shift and clutch linkages can be used.

Engine Mounts:

You can use your stock CL mounts with swapping in an H/F engine, but usually they are worn and will not handle the increased power and torque from the swapped engine well. The stock driver’s side mount will also need a bit of coercion to fit properly. Hasport and Innovative Motorworks both make mount kits for the H/F swap, both being good options.

Hasport
http://hasport.com/store/index.php/m...series-cd.html

Innovative
http://www.swapshopracing.com/contents/en-us/d676.html

Do not be alarmed if you mount up the engine and it looks slightly tilted back, some naturally mount that way. What you DO NOT want is for it to be higher or lower in the engine bay than it should, this issue will kill your axles if it’s too high or put your exhaust and oil pan in danger if it’s too low.

Axles:

You can use your stock CL axles and intermediate shaft with the H/F engine swap. Some say you can also use the prelude axles but I’ve found them to be hit or miss, many have been too long on the intermediate shaft side, but they will spline into the tranny.

Wiring:

Wiring for the H/F swap can be a little tricky. You can use your stock wiring harness but wires must be lengthened. BUY A HELMS MANUAL to consult for correct wiring colors. Also, our CL’s have a single pick up distributor so they either must be wired to the ECU for the multi-pickup H22 distributor , or use sections of the H22 wiring harness to wire it correctly.

Since most H22’s are OBD1, you may have to either convert the car wiring from OBD2 to OBD1, or simply use a wiring jumper harness to convert from OBD2 to OBD1 and run an OBD1 ecu which is the simpler route. Remember to correctly determine whether you need an obd2a or obd2b jumper harness. 97 is OBD2A and 98-99 is OBD2B jumper harnesses respectively.

OBD2 to OBD1 Jumper Harness


Distributor wiring conversion chart:




Wires to lengthen: (referenced from CD5 Accord LX wiring swap, may vary with CL harness but these sensors need to be lengthened in the CL also)

-IAT (GRN/BLU-RED/YEL): needs to be lengthened to reach drivers side of intake manifold.
-MAP (YEL/WHT-GRN/WHT-WHT/YEL): needs to be lengthened wherever on the firewall or intake manifold you mount the MAP sensor, using the H22/Prelude map sensor.
-EGR Lift solenoid (GRN/BLU-WHT/BLK-YEL/BLU): needs to reach passengers side of intake manifold.
-H02s (GRN/BLU-WHT/RED-ORN/BLK-YEL/BLK): needs to be run to O2 sensor near oil filter.
-IAC valve (BLK/BLU-YEL/BLK): needs to be lengthened to reach top of intake runners, in the middle of the manifold.
-ECT switch A: This will need to be extended to the thermostat housing on the passenger’s side of the back of the head. The ECT sensor and ECT sending unit fit fine (under the distributor.) There is no ECT switch B on the JDM H22, just block off the connector.

Alternator: The power wire on the alternator needs to be lengthened about 2". You can either cut the one off the Prelude harness, and attached it to the CL harness with a large enough splice or lengthen the stock CL Alternator harness.

*NOTE: You MAY have to SWITCH WIRES A6 (EGR solenoid) and A11 (H02S heater) at the ECU if codes are thrown, the inputs are opposite of OBD2.

Engine Management:

Best bet on engine management when swapping is to go with an OBD1 Ecu. You can use an OBD2 97-01 stock Prelude ECU but they have immobilizers that you must find a way to bypass in order to get the car running. Also converting to OBD1 allows you to tune the car easier with a chipped OBD1 ecu.

Eligible OBD1 Conversion ECU’s
- USDM P28, P72, P61
- JDM P30, P72, PR3, P91
- JDM P13 can run the car, but cannot be tuned and has a 120mph limiter.

Companies like Phearable.net and Hondata provide basemaps on these ECU’s to run the H/F motor in your CL.

Throttle Body/Throttle Cables:

Most use the Prelude throttle cables and bracket along with the stock H22 throttle body. The Prelude cable is longer than the CL cable so secure it accordingly in the right place. In most cases you will be giving up your cruise control unless you convert to Prelude pedal assemblies or formulate a custom bracket for cruise control on the H22 TB for the swap. If you’d like to keep cruise control in an easier fashion, you can use the stock F2x throttle body but you will be creating a bottleneck in the intake system since its smaller than the H22 throttle body. A bigger aftermarket CD5 Accord TB may be the key to retaining cruise control.

Accessories:

A/C system: You can use the full CL A/C system, The compressor bolts right up to the H/F longblock and the lines are placed to keep the stock A/C system.

Power steering: This is a little tricky. You must use both the Prelude and CL power steering lines, splicing together the lower section of the CL line with the upper section of the Prelude line. Have this done by a fitting shop or anywhere that can make a pressure line. Or you can cut and weld the prelude end fitting onto the CL line. Finish by connecting to the Prelude power steering pump.

Alternator: Use the CL alternator on the Prelude bracket

Make sure you use the correct length belts for each accessory.

Exhaust

The stock CL F2x header doesn’t mate up to the H22/F20b. You must use an H22 header which also fits on the F20b. Also the exhaust flange from the header to midpipe/cat will not bolt up, the H22 header is a 2 bolt flange and the stock CL header/ midpipe is 3 bolt so you’ll have to have an exhaust shop cut the 3 bolt and put a 2 bolt flange on instead if you intend to keep the stock exhaust. Otherwise, grab an aftermarket high flow cat, resonator, and muffler and have an exhaust shop make you a custom setup with mandrel bent piping which will both sound better and add performance gains.

Custom exhaust w/2 bolt flange off of H22 header


Once you’ve completed your swap, fire it up and enjoy! Don’t forget to come tell us about it also!

Hopefully this has been helpful in answering your questions on an engine swap. I will be adding and correcting info as necessary. Additional information on these swaps are available, just google “H22 Cd5 Accord swap” , although I think I’ve collected a good amount of info for this thread. If any forum members would like to contribute information, please PM me


Azine Forum Members that have completed this swap:

1. Dainfammus1
2. SupramanAG
3. Palayah8ta
4. 732xGhost
5. Outlaw
6. Mixxxwell
6. NitiNiteZ
7. Starboy2NV
8. Teh CL
9. Duece
10. BlazinSI
11. Hulk22
12. Smokin H22
13. Mark Davidson
14. RMF
15. xrunner86x
16. H22EuroR
17. thirdrail-1
18. d98clturbo
19. Lcaruca 97
20. Insyone
21. SooDark
22. Scoopin

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Nice writeup bro

SupraManAG

Very well put writeup Chris. Honestly reading all that brought back a lot of memories. I did this back in 03/04 and had to experiment with a lot of this until i actually got it right.

I think you may need to add the replacement of the oem auto/hydro belt tensioner to a H23 manual tensioner or switch one over to a auto tensioner made by Kaizenspeed.

DaInFaMMuS1

Thanks guys!

Ahhh very true. Added that and some info on fuel setup. Thanks brother

spencer_homer

you just saved me a lot of searching, and headache. ive always just looked past all info, knowing that i could come back to it for the day i swap. now that day has come, and its a pain. this thing's dope.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

lolol. forgot about scoopin too.

DaInFaMMuS1

Thanks bro, glad the info can help you out

Scoopin? Refresh my memory please

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

he had the white cl from fort lauderdale.
https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-cl-2001-2003-50/my-1st-gen-cl-whoopin-ass-487969/

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

wow just saw this. this should be very helpful. hopefully people will take advantage of this.

i have a better picture of my old setup for more relevancy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34139824@N02/8374117804/
if you wanna replace that other one that doesnt really offer a good view.

dakaus89

I have to agree of course. Thanks for this excellent write up.

But I have a question for you guys that I didn't see addressed which seems to be common when swapping the H23A into 5th Gen. Preludes;

Did you swap the oil pump to an A4?

DaInFaMMuS1

My H23a swap did not require swapping the oil pump, the H23a one worked fine for me

dakaus89

Great! Most of the info I've come across about the oil pump has been from the prelude forums leading me to believe I needed to swap it. Thanks man, you're a major help!

cl-baller201

How do these swaps hold up (mechanically) any issues?

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Like a honda motor

GUrbin

Great write up... So if I purchase the complete motor, ecu, engine wiring harness, all sensors, and trans I should just be able to bolt it up and roll right... I'll be pulling the whole motor and harness out of my car since I found the whole swap with all under hood mechanicals... Just don't wanna get in to more than I'm expecting... I figure if I got the complete swap I could just pop and drop... But its been hard to find info on the F20B swap into a CL... I'm sure if I dig I could find it but the motor is getting ordered tomorrow since I'm getting a killer deal on it and don't want to let this deal slip away

ecfreeland

My F20b will be here Monday have a obd2 USA harness and tuned p28 will I be able to rob the intake and fuel parts from my h23

DaInFaMMuS1

You should be able to do so. Same head configuration, just double check how the intake lines up on the new motor

DaInFaMMuS1

Physically, yes it should bolt right up. Electronically is where it might get a little trick as you'll need to do some splicing, but nothing too crazy. If I did another one today I could probably have it done and running in a weekend with all the correct parts on hand.

carbonNY

CONTACT RYWIRE.COM TO SOLVE THE DISTRIBUTOR WIRING ISSUE, they sell conversion harness